Development of a dual channel detection system for pan-genotypic simultaneous quantification of hepatitis B and delta viruses

Web Published:
10/9/2024
Description:

Development of a dual channel detection system for pan-genotypic simultaneous quantification of hepatitis B and delta viruses 

Princeton Docket: 24-4106-1

 

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) remains a major public health problem, causing chronic infection in at least 257 million people who are at risk of developing severe liver disease, including fibrosis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma, HCC). Approximately 12 – 72 million HBV carriers are co-infected with hepatitis delta virus (HDV), a small satellite virus of HBV that can only propagate in the presence of HBV infection. Co-infection with both HBV and HDV causes the most aggressive form of viral hepatitis characterized by more severe liver disease and a higher incidence of HCC. While assays have been described to quantify circulating HBV DNA or HDV RNA independently, a method for monitoring both viruses simultaneously is not currently available.

 

Researchers at Princeton have developed an innovative RT-qPCR based assay that enables the simple and highly sensitive detection of the viral genome(s) in a single tube reaction. This technology is a powerful and promising assay for simultaneous quantification of HBV DNA and HDV RNA. In the future, this assay could be a cost-effective means to properly diagnose patients for infections and monitor viral suppression under current and future therapies which are not yet curative.

 

Applications:

• Quantify HBV and HDV viral levels simultaneously

• Diagnose HBV and HDV co-infection

• Monitor HBV and HDV viral levels under treatment

 

Advantages:

• Reliable detection for both HBV and HDV without significant interference

• Accurate targeting of all conserved regions in the HBV and HDV genomes

• Compatible with all versions (genotypes) of genetically diverging HBV and HDV

• Capacity to distinguish between infectious and non-infectious viral particles

• Cost- and time-effective as a single tube reaction

 

Stage of Development:

This assay has provided reliable detection for HBV and HDV basic research in vitro and in human liver chimeric mice.

 

Inventors:

Alexander Ploss is an Associate Professor in the Department of Molecular Biology at Princeton University. He completed his Ph.D. in Immunology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and Cornell University and postdoctoral training at the Rockefeller University in New York. Dr. Ploss held previously faculty positions at the Rockefeller University before joining the faculty of the Department of Molecular Biology at Princeton University where he is currently an Associate Professor. His research focuses on analyzing the host tropism of human hepatotropic pathogens and the construction of humanized animal models to study host responses at the organismal level. In support and recognition of his work he received several awards including the including the Astella’s Young Investigator Award from the Infectious Disease Society of America, the Liver Scholar Award from the American Liver Foundation, the Löffler-Frosch Prize from the German Society of Virology, Merck Irving Sigal Memorial Award from the American Society for Microbiology and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund Investigator in the Pathogenesis of Infectious Disease Award. Professor Ploss is a member of the Genomic Instability and Tumor Progression Program at the Cancer Institute of NJ.

 

Yongzhen Liu is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Ploss Lab. He completed his Ph.D. in Microbiology at Peking University.

 

Intellectual Property & Development Status

Patent protection is pending. Princeton is currently seeking commercial partners for the further development and commercialization of this opportunity.

 

 

Patent Information:
For Information, Contact:
Cortney Cavanaugh
New Ventures and Licensing associate
Princeton University
609-258-7256
ccavanaugh@princeton.edu
Inventors:
Alexander Ploss
Yongzhen Liu
Keywords: